102 103Asia-Pacific Boating January/February 2014 Asia-Pacific Boating January/February 2014

SPOTLIGHT — Oyster 885 —SPOTLIGHT — Oyster 885 —

BLUE-WATER BEAUTY

A PASSAGE BETWEEN PALMA AND PORTO CERVO ABOARD OYSTER MARINE’S NEW FLAGSHIP, THE 885, PROVED THAT PERFORMANCE CRUISING JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER. By Mike Owen

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SPOTLIGHT — Oyster 885 —

FIRST LAUNCHED LAST AUTUMN, the Oyster 885 comes in beneath the custom-built 100 and 125 but ahead of her next series-built sibling, the equally new Oyster 825. With the fifth of these 27-metre boats already in build in such short time, it seems clear that Oyster has found a yacht that satisfies buyers in a very challenging segment. With the 885, Oyster can be quite accommodating to owner requests beyond the usual things like hull colour or finishes. Our 885, hull number four, features a new, higher raised deck saloon that required not just new moulding and detailing, but significant re-engineering of the ship’s systems.

We started our 540-kilometre delivery from Palma to Porto Cervo, motorsailing away at an effortless eight knots with just half the blade jib unfurled and a near-silent 1,150rpm of the Cummins engines. After laying our course, in two minutes the fully battened main and headsail were set using button-controlled hydraulics and we smartly accelerated to 10 knots in breezes that were just over 10 knots on a reach.

The twin helm stations with carbon wheels replicate the ship’s management and nav systems – Raymarine standard; B&G an option – controls are all to hand and all-round visibility is excellent even with the full-form spray hood up, which disappears forward into an enclosure. There’s also a big bimini cockpit shade set on two stout stainless pram frames, adding to the impressive array of sturdy handholds all around the yacht. The cockpit is long and wide with a generous separate guest area forward and seating for maybe 10 or 11 around a central foldout table.

“THE RESULT OF THE TWIN RUDDER SET UP IS MASSIVE REDUCTION OF WEATHER

HELM, WITH TRACKING UP AND ACROSS WIND IS EXCELLENT, AND CLOSE

HAULED THE 885 CAN SAIL UNUSUALLY HIGH, EVEN TO

25-DEGREES APPARENT”

The deckplan is simple, but it’s also a practical, deep-sea, aesthetic solution that works well and offers excellent views all around. A single point mainsheet signposts a captive winch in standard specification. The hatches are completely flush. Fillers, pump-outs and pop-up cleats are not set into the deck but rather into the chunky, square-topped outboard capping. Above the plumb bow, the composite extension for code sails incorporates impressive stainless steel engineering for anchor handling and keeping the foredeck clear of ground tackle. The windlass is concealed in a shelved locker with deep chain well and 100 metres of chain for the 66-kilogramme CQR anchor, all again in stainless steel. For quick, easy working of warps when docking, a neat rise-and-fall capstan pops up out of the planking. On the foredeck the 4.2m jet RIB sits in a neat deck-well, lowering the profile and doubling as a cushioned lounge

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SPOTLIGHT — Oyster 885 —

pit once the tender is launched overside by the handy spinnaker pole lifting system.

Aft of the twin helm stations there’s a large lazarette for warps, fenders, compressor and all. The wide open deck space is framed by pushpit seating for two or three in each quarter to curl into when underway or at anchor, dry-sharing the fun of swimmers enjoying the hydraulically lowered transom bathing and tender berthing platform. And the clever stuff here is not just in the automated folding of the access steps and handrail, but that the platform ram pushes up not down, absorbing rising swell to prevent the jarring and noisy slamming of lesser, rigid systems. The hydraulic gangplank, also garaged in the transom, has matching auto-erecting handrail ropes, showing good attention to detail.

From very first principles, the 885 has proved an innovation. Yes, she draws on the experience of building the 100 and 125 superyachts,

but there’s more to the 885 than meets the eye. The Oyster 885 is the first of any of the builder’s distance cruising yachts to be tank tested and optimised for twin rudder configuration.

Designer Rob Humphreys has long experience with twin rudders, but this depth of study and optimisation is wholly new in this area of yachting. The result of the twin rudder set up is massive reduction of weather helm, with excelent tracking up and across wind. Close hauled the 885 can sail unusually high, even to 25-degrees apparent. She’s responsive, steady and hand-steers within a good margin downwind, coping well with quartering seas. Taking full advantage of the twin rudders’ short chord, a shoal draught, pivoting centreboard option is also offered. The bronze blade retracts entirely into the stub keel, so as not to impinge on bilge or accommodation space.

With wider stern and increased form stability the driving reason behind twin rudders, the tall four-spreader Hall carbon rig goes further forward for a bigger main and smaller headsail, inherently giving more power off-wind under white sails while also simplifying and speeding handling and tacking already made easier by the big, high-spec Lewmar power winches with concealed, under-deck sheet leads.

Accommodation

The general arrangement below decks is ultimately flexible, but the starting point takes full advantage of the over 24-metre threshold, where scale enables full separation of crew and guest quarters. And for both guests and crew, there is plenty of room.

Entry to the deck saloon is via a magnificent, motor driven, side-sliding radiused glass door. A light-touch-button on the handle activates the electric drive, and if power does ever go down, it can still be opened. Oyster

“ALL CABINS ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN AC AND AV

SYSTEMS, WHICH MEANS GUESTS CAN RELAX BELOW

DECKS WITH ACCESS TO SERVERS STORING

THOUSANDS OF FILMS AND ALBUMS”

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SPOTLIGHT — Oyster 885 —

Technical Specifications – Oyster 885

LOA 27.08m

Hull Length: 26.06m

LWL: 24.18m

Beam 6.33m

Draught (standard keel) 3.5m

Displacement (standard keel) 74 tns

Standard rig and spar type Masthead sloop with fully battened main

Available rig options In-mast furling

Standard Engine Cummins QSL 9.0 246kW (330hp)

Fuel Capacity: 3,500 lts

Water Capacity: 2,000 lts

Sail Area (150% Foretriangle) 448.03sq m

Air Draft 37.6m

always looks to counter failure, often by doubling up on systems and, where possible, same shared parts for in-built redundancy and swap over.

Working back from the bow, there’s a standing-height sail locker accessed either from deck or the watertight bulkhead door which comes back into the crew’s accommodation, with double and twin bunk cabin plan, each with en suite. Behind this is the ample crew’s mess leading back to a good, long galley with plentiful work areas, cupboards, drawers and under-floor storage. Hardware includes full-sized fridges and freezers, gimballed gas or electric ovens, microwave and even steam. Dishwasher and laundry machines are also in place. The equipment is top-notch, as are the cabinetry and finish. The galley is also bigger than on many larger motoryachts and features good personal wedging points, so food service can continue even when conditions get rougher.

Down a couple of steps aft in the galley, another big-ship style watertight bulkhead door gives walk-in access to a very neat, well-planned machinery room. Everything is within easy reach for simple maintenance. The run of manifolds along the foot of the forward bulkhead, all above floor level, exemplifies this with no need to delve under the sole. The 330-horsepower Cummins, the two 27kW Onan gensets, water maker, AC, hydraulics, optional central vacuum cleaning unit and the switch gear, all have elbow room and eye space around. By the door there’s a workbench with standing-height with good wedging to improve workability underway. Air temperature in this

space is unusually good, a spin-off from the forced air ventilation system that flushes the accommodation air space six times hourly.

Oyster’s just getting better and better at these things, particularly noise and vibration control. Conversation is perfectly possible even when in the engine room and under motor. To understand how this was achieved, you have to peek inside the bare hull during construction to see a stout structural grid of full-length stringers and frames dappled with carbon laminates laid into weight bearing areas, assuring rigid

strength. Fully integrated tanks, flexibly mounted pipe runs, conduits with soft apertures when breaching bulkheads and linings – every little thing counts. Beyond expected insulation materials, the timberwork around machinery spaces, motors and pumps are all cored with a lead-based polymer. This adds weight, but it also means that doors draw to a tight close on rubber seals, and key fasteners in floor panels similarly tighten down on to rubber. The drawers and cupboards all close firmly. Stand in a cabin while underway and nothing vibrates.

For guest accommodation, there is a base plan of a central, split-level saloon, with cabinet-concealed bar and rise and fall, surround-sound TV to port, and to starboard raised seating and push button, electric hi-lo coffee/dining tabling for 10 at the perfect height for the all-round windows. Aft of the saloon, steps lead down to the guest corridor and twin or double guest suites port and starboard, and then a fine, full-beam owner’s suite aft. There’s good headroom and a spacious layout in the cabins, each of which is well fitted out. All three cabins have large windows for natural light and allow guests a good view of the sea.

All cabins also have separate AC and AV systems, which means guests can relax below decks with access to servers storing thousands of films and albums. In the spacious home-from-home ensuites, trim varies from smooth Avonite to cored white Italian marble. Lighting throughout, too, is down to taste, but mood-control LED based systems lead the way, with touch switching and dimming and red light swap-out for night vision. Kick recesses, steps and stairs and headliners conceal ambient lighting.

Forward from the saloon, portside steps lead down, before turning right through the privacy door to galley and crew quarters, to a spacious, well fitted navigation and communications area, and also a fourth cabin space, which can be either a further guest suite or second saloon or TV snug.

But of course it’s about sailing, too. On our passage, the Oyster 885 was mostly reaching but with a beat through the night, the first reef went in around 17 knots for a comfortable nine knots touching 10 and a point or two. The optional second captive winch made it so easy to reef in and shake out, all at the press of a button or flick of a lever.

Anchoring in the dark just short of our final run into Porto Cervo, the wind filled to 30-plus knots. The hook held tight and the next morning in slamming gusts of 38 knots, with the benefit of the Cummins’ fine trolling speed control and 60 horsepower to the thrusters, we neatly backed into our slot. Calm, controlled and most assured. That’s the Oyster way.www.oysteryachts.com